St. John’s University
Igniting a future of generosity and impact.
Can a university’s vision for the future truly set hearts on fire? We think so. Drawing from the liturgy of St. Vincent de Paul, we created this striking campaign concept to frame St. John’s University’s most ambitious fundraising campaign to date—and its first such undertaking in nearly two decades. Notably, the campaign launch leveraged a memorable spring that thrust St. John’s basketball back into the national spotlight, energizing its alumni base of 200,000 “Johnnies” at just the right time.
We built campaign communications from the brand out, developing a rich narrative told in the words of students, faculty, and alumni to reflect the St. John’s Vincentian mission of transforming lives through academic excellence and service. The HEARTS ON FIRE campaign put a fresh shine on this 155-year story of a beacon of opportunity for students yearning to make their own futures and articulated how philanthropy plays an essential role.
what we did
Campaign name and identity
Style guide
Messaging framework
Launch event strategy, casting, and scripts
Campaign brochure
Campaign website content
We put a spin on the conventional case brochure, telling the story of the campaign and its funding opportunities through the personal stories of students, faculty, and alumni. At St. John’s, people come first—and power the mission.
Since its launch, HEARTS ON FIRE has galvanized the St. John’s community around a shared vision of access, excellence, and service. The campaign has strengthened alumni pride, deepened donor engagement, and positioned the university for transformational philanthropic growth.
total enrollment:
,
students
(15,699 undergraduates and 3,992 graduate students)
campaign goal:
$
m
history-making gift:
$
m
to help fund a new basketball training facility and student scholarships
“Our students don’t have a sense of privilege or entitlement. They’re scrappy and work hard. Students are always the reason my heart’s on fire for St. John’s.”
REV. BRIAN J. SHANLEY, O.P., PH.D.
President
